Multifunctional remote controller and control method for multiple appliances using the same

ABSTRACT

A remote controller having a multifunction and a control method for controlling multiple appliances using the remote controller are provided. The remote controller includes a menu selector for displaying predetermined menus on a screen according to a menu key and a selection key and inputting a command of selecting a menu, a controller for outputting data corresponding to the command input from the menu selector, and a data transmitter for transmitting the data of the controller in the form of optical signals of a predetermined frequency band.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a remote controller, and moreparticularly, to a multifunctional remote controller and a method forcontrolling multiple appliances using the same.

A conventional remote controller controls a single appliance. Forexample, a remote controller for a television controls only thefunctions of the television, not those of other home appliances such asa telephone. Also, the large number of buttons of the remote controllermakes it inconvenient to select a function of the home appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multifunctionalremote controller for controlling multiple appliances.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a controlmethod for controlling multiple appliances using the above remotecontroller.

To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there isprovided a multifunctional remote controller including: a menu selectorfor displaying predetermined menus on a screen according to a menu keyand a selection key and inputting a command of selecting a menu; acontroller for outputting data corresponding to the command input fromsaid menu selector; and a data transmitter for transmitting the data ofsaid controller in the form of optical signals of a predeterminedfrequency band.

To accomplish another object of the present invention, there is provideda control method for controlling the multiple appliances comprising thesteps of: displaying menus on a screen according to a predetermined keyor mouse button; selecting a desired menu from menus displayed on thescreen; and performing a mode operation corresponding to the selectedmenu.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above object and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment thereofwith reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a multifunctional remote controlleraccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a control method for controlling multipleappliances using the remote controller according to the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a remote controller according to the presentinvention includes a menu selector 110 for selecting a menu to beperformed, a fingerprint recognizer 120 for recognizing a fingerprint soas to identify a user, a controller 130 for identifying an input orderand an input fingerprint pattern to generate data corresponding theretoand generate data to display information on a remote controller panel, adata transmitter 140 for transmitting data via a radio signal, and adisplay 150 for displaying a character or an image corresponding toinput data.

In the case that the remote controller according to the presentinvention is adapted to a television, for example, functions other thantelevision functions may be controlled; for example, an Internetinformation service function or a telephone dialing function, as well asa basic operation of the television, can be performed.

An embodiment in which a television remote controller has amultifunction according to the present invention will be described asfollows.

The menu selector 110 includes a key or a mouse button for controllingoperations of the television performed by the remote controller as wellas various other service functions.

The key of the menu selector 110 can be set by various methods. Forexample, a menu key and a selection key can be selected by a POP-UPdisplay method.

According to the POP-UP display method, a menu is displayed on a screenby pressing the key or the mouse button and after an indicator is movedto a corresponding menu by the transmitter of the remote controller, aninstruction to perform operations of the main menu and the sub-menus isinput by using the selection key. At this time, the sub-menu can beconverted to the main menu by operating the menu key. Accordingly, themenu to be performed can be selected by just two key strokes.

The fingerprint recognizer 120 reads characteristics of an inputfingerprint in order to perform the selected menu only when an initiallyset fingerprint pattern is input, thus preventing unauthorized usersfrom operating the remote.

The fingerprint recognizer 120 includes a pattern identifying chip and aROM for storing the fingerprint pattern.

In the controller 130, information corresponding to a key of the menuselector 110 is input and then data corresponding thereto is output.That is, when the menu key is input, data for displaying the menu isoutput, and when the selection key is input, data for outputting anoptical signal which can be recognized by a controller (not shown) ofthe television is output. At this time, only if the fingerprint patterninput to the fingerprint recognizer 120 is identical with an initiallypredetermined fingerprint pattern, data for performing the selected menuis output, and if not, the output of the selected menu data isprevented. Also, data representing the current time, telephone numberand a state of the remote controller is output to the display 150.

In the data transmitter 140, a signal corresponding to the data inputfrom the controller 130 is transmitted to the television by radiosignal. The data can be transmitted by radio signal in various ways. Thetransmission signal in the present embodiment of the invention useslight of a predetermined frequency band to transmit data.

In the display 150, the data representing the current time, telephonenumber and a state of the remote controller is input to be displayed ona liquid crystal display in the form of a character or an image.

According to the above description, the remote controller of the presentinvention can perform the multifunction.

Referring to FIG. 2, the control method for controlling multipleappliances using the remote controller according to the presentinvention includes the steps of: recognizing a fingerprint (step 210),determining a right of a user to use appliances (step 220), turning offa power supply if a user does not have a right to use appliances (step230), displaying main menus on a screen (step 240), selecting one of themain menus displayed on the screen (step 250), displaying sub-menus ofthe selected main menu on the screen (step 260), selecting one of thesub-menus displayed on the screen (step 270) and performing a functioncorresponding to data of the selected sub-menu (step 280).

In step 210 of recognizing a fingerprint, a pattern of the inputfingerprint is recognized and stored as data in a memory.

In step 220 of determining right of a user to use appliances, it isdetermined whether data of the input fingerprint pattern is identicalwith the initially input fingerprint pattern stored in the EPROM.

At this time, if it is determined that the data of the input fingerprintpattern is different from the initially input fingerprint pattern storedin the EPROM, the power supply is turned off in step 230. However, whenit is determined that the data of the input fingerprint pattern isidentical to the initially input fingerprint pattern stored in theEPROM, the subsequent steps are processed since the input fingerprint isapproved to use appliances.

In step 240 of displaying a main menu, the top menu is displayed on ascreen in the case that a menu key of the remote controller is input. Atthis time, the main menu includes a basic menu for operating atelevision, an Internet service menu for receiving Internet informationand a telephone service menu for dialing through the remote controller.

In step 250 of selecting a main menu, an indicator is located at adesired menu displayed on the screen by moving the transmitter of theremote controller and then pressing the selection key, to thereby selectthe desired menu.

In step 260 of displaying a sub-menu, sub-menus for the main menuselected in step 250 are displayed on the screen.

In step 270 of selecting a sub-menu, the indicator is moved by movingthe transmitter of the remote controller, to thereby select a desireditem from the sub-menus displayed on the screen.

In step 280 of performing a menu, in the case that input of additionaldata is required, the additional data is input and then an operationcorresponding to the input data is performed; and in the case that onlyselection of the sub-menu is required, operation of the selectedsub-menu function is performed.

For example, in the case that the selected main menu is a telephoneservice menu, a dialing menu is selected from the sub-menus and then atelephone number is input, to thereby perform a telephone dialingoperation.

However, in the case that the selected menu is a sub-menu such as a menuof a channel up/down operation, only the sub-menu is selected, tothereby perform the operation of the selected menu item.

It is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the present inventioncan be applied to other electronic apparatuses without being limited tothe illustrated embodiment in which a remote controller adapted to atelevision is described.

As described above, according to the remote controller of the presentinvention, a selection method of the key is simplified, to therebyeasily provide various kinds of home service.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multifunctional remote controller comprising:amenu selector for displaying predetermined menus on a screen accordingto a menu key and a selection key and inputting a command for selectinga menu, wherein one of the predetermined menus is a main menu forselecting from a plurality of different appliances; a controller foroutputting data corresponding to the command input from said menuselector; a data transmitter for transmitting the data output by saidcontroller as optical signals of a predetermined frequency band; and afingerprint recognizer for determining whether or not an inputfingerprint matches a predetermined fingerprint and for applying asignal to said controller indicating whether or not the inputfingerprint matches the predetermined fingerprint, and wherein saidcontroller outputs the data corresponding to the command input from saidmenu selector only when the signal applied to said controller indicatesthat the input fingerprint matches the predetermined fingerprint.
 2. Amultifunctional remote controller, comprising:a menu selector fordisplaying predetermined menus on a screen according to a menu key and aselection key and inputting a command for selecting a menu; a controllerfor outputting data corresponding to the command input from said menuselector; and a data transmitter for transmitting the data output bysaid controller as optical signals of a predetermined frequency band,wherein the menu selected by said menu selector is selected according toa POP-UP display method.
 3. A control method comprising the stepsof:providing a remote controller; using said remote controller todisplay menus on a screen in accordance with activation of apredetermined key or mouse button of said remote controller; selecting adesired menu from the menus displayed on the screen; and performing amode operation corresponding to said selected menu; wherein one of themenus displayed on the screen includes an Internet service menu forreceiving an Internet information service.
 4. A control methodcomprising the steps of:providing a remote controller; using said remotecontroller to display menus on a screen in accordance with activation ofa predetermined key or mouse button of said remote controller; selectinga desired menu from the menus displayed on the screen; identifying aright of a user to use appliances before said step of displaying a menu;and performing a mode operation corresponding to said selected menu,wherein in said step of displaying a menu, a menu for a necessaryfunction is displayed on the screen by a POP-UP window method and,wherein in said step of identifying right of a user to use appliances, afingerprint of the user is recognized to identify the right of the userto use the appliances.
 5. A control method comprising the stepsof:providing a remote controller; using said remote controller todisplay menus on a screen in accordance with activation of apredetermined key or mouse button of said remote controller; selecting adesired menu from the menus displayed on the screen; and performing amode operation corresponding to said selected menu, wherein in said stepof selecting a menu, one of the menus displayed on the screen isselected by moving a transmitter of said remote controller.